Global Warming Age Gap: Younger Americans Most Worried

Story Highlights

70% of Americans age 18 to 34 worry about global warming

This compares with 62% of those 35 to 54 and 56% who are 55 or older

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Public concern about global warming is evident across all age groups in the U.S., with majorities of younger and older Americans saying they worry about the problem a great deal or fair amount. However, the extent to which Americans take global warming seriously and worry about it differs markedly by age, with adults under age 35 typically much more engaged with the problem than those 55 and older.

Americans' Attitudes About Global Warming, by Age

18 to 34

35 to 54

55 and older

Age gap (18 to 34 minus 55+)

%

%

%

pct. pts.

Think global warming will pose a serious threat in your lifetime

51

47

29

22

Think global warming is caused by human activities

75

62

55

20

Think problem of global warming is underestimated in the news

48

38

31

17

Think most scientists believe global warming is occurring

73

69

58

15

Worry a great deal/fair amount about global warming

70

63

56

14

Think effects of global warming already begun

62

63

54

8

Understand global warming issue very/fairly well

82

80

76

6

Gallup

The biggest generational gap is visible in the belief that global warming will pose a serious threat in one's own lifetime. This clearly reflects the different timeframes involved for each age group; the older one gets, the less time in one's lifetime for global warming's effects to be realized.

The second-largest age gap comes with the belief that global warming is caused by human activities.

Younger adults are also significantly more likely to think news reports on global warming underestimate the problem. They are more likely to worry about the problem and to believe there is a scientific consensus that global warming is occurring.

Younger and older Americans come closest in agreement in their views that the effects of global warming have already begun, and in self-reports of understanding global warming.

These figures are based on combined data from Gallup's annual Environment polls from 2015 to 2018.

Several Factors Most Likely Drive the Age Gap

There are several potential reasons for these generational differences surrounding climate change. One, as is evident in particular on the question about global warming's effects in one's lifetime, results from the fact that older Americans may perceive that they will no longer be living when global warming changes the world more dramatically.

Finally, younger people may have been exposed to more discussion about climate change and the environment in their more recent education experiences, while the issue was not on the educational agenda for many Americans who were in school decades ago.

##SPEEDBUMP##

Survey Methods

Results are based on aggregated telephone interviews from four separate Gallup polls conducted from 2015 through 2018 with a random sample of 4,103 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.

Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 70% cellphone respondents and 30% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.

Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement pits climate change concerns against concerns about jobs and the economy. Americans have deep interest in issues on both sides and will probably react along partisan lines.